THE year 2015 was a special year with regard to Squash in Guyana, according to president of the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) David Fernandes.

According to Fernandes, “It was another great year for Squash in Guyana. We hosted nine tournaments locally which are the most ever held for a single year in recent memory. We say thanks to all of the sponsors and players who took part during the year.”
On the international front, the GSA boss commended the national team for another great showing, adding, “Our National junior team once again did our country proud by retaining the overall Team title at the Junior CASA championships held in Barbados last July for an unprecedented 11th year in succession.”
“Our Boys Team (Nyron Joseph, Ben Mekdeci, Alec Melville, Daniel Islam, Shomari Wiltshire, Anthony Islam and Alex Cheeks) placed first and the Girls Team placed second in the competition. In addition, we captured 2 Individual titles, namely: Akeila Wiltshire in the U-19 Girls and Shomari Wiltshire in the U-13 Boys,” contended Fernandes.
In August, the body sent a Junior Girls team to the Junior World Championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, where they placed 15th overall.
The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) also assisted a team of three players to represent Guyana at the Junior Commonwealth Games in Samoa during September where they were able to secure a bronze medal in the Girls’ doubles competition through Larissa Wiltshire and Taylor Fernandes.
Meanwhile, in December, 7 juniors represented Guyana at the Canadian and U.S. Junior Open Tournaments where the experience and exposure gained will immensely help to improve the level of Squash being played locally.
The president reminded of seniors Nicolette Fernandes and Sunil Seth, who continuously represent Guyana on the professional world circuit.
In the senior Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) division, the president recalled that the women dominated that section.
“The Ladies team (Ashley Khalil, Ashley de Groot, Mary Fung-A-Fatt, Akeila Wiltshire, Larissa Wiltshire and Victoria Arjoon) won the Women’s Team title while the Men’s Team placed third, earning the team the third-place spot Overall.”
He noted that other events in 2015 featured the qualification of the men’s team for the Pan American Games in Toronto where the experience gained was immense.
Fernandes concluded by thanking all the sponsors of the sport in 2015.